The GUNKI NAIAD is a soft lure that belongs to the nymph / bug family, developed for trout, but all the other predators will just love to get a mouthful of it! As the trout and predator season was closed the only way to test these gems was to go to a private water. After a short drive, it was at last time to test them on some big fat hyped-up reservoir trout!
GUNKI STREET FISHING S-210 L rod, an ultra-light mean looking bit of gear.
The first combo: The new STREET FISHING S-210 L rod paired with the new GUNKI THG FV 1500 reel spooled with 0.16mm COLOR LINE, which I will use to fish with the NAIAD rigged on a 1.5g G'SLIDE jig head. Thanks to its awesome action and tubular tip, this rod is just perfect to cast the NAIAD with ease and work it smoothly. Thanks to its flat profile, the NAIAD will swim and then glide when worked with small smooth twitches. This specific “escaping” style swimming action will enable you to quickly fish different styles of spots and usually get the active fish to bite. Its many appendages have been designed to generate random lateral and horizontal movements. Therefore, it will produce an unpredictable swimming action and previously “unfelt” vibrations, ideal for educated fish!
The GUNKI NAIAD, a nymph style lure.
This style of fishing is also great for river fishing; a steady mid-water retrieval or with an up & down action are perfect as soon as the fish start feeding. If ever they don’t seem to react, then it’s time to change animation and colour. A natural one like the Grémille or the Ghost Brown will be just perfect. Animation wise, you need to keep the rod tip up, line semi-taunt and let the flow carry the NAIAD along the bottom as naturally as possible. The current will do the rest, making its little appendages wriggle irresistibly. The tonicity of the plastic that this lure is made out of makes it deadly in all the situations you may encounter. To give an even more natural action, rig it on a G’FLIP head and it will follow each variation of the current.
A powerful fish that fell for the GUNKI NAIAD.
The second combo: basically the same as the first one apart from the rod. Depending on the spots and where the fish will be hiding, I will have to cast really far and in that case I will use the STREETFISHING S-210 ML. For long distance casts, this rod with a 1.5-10g test and a full carbon tip is ideal, what’s more, is that it is just brilliant for drop-shotting! A NAIAD on a drop-shot rig will enable you to fish from the surface to the bottom and with as many swimming actions imaginable. Its long appendages give it volume and move even when you use “do nothing” style animations. A little tip, do not keep your line too tight so that the NAIAD can float to the bottom and always keep an eye on your line, be prepared to strike if you see anything unusual or feel the slightest “tic” in your rod.
This one was no match for the backbone of the STREETFISHING S-210 ML.
A great day spent bending carbon on overweight slimy trout and honestly, I cannot think of a better way to test gear! Even though I used 0.16mm nylon, not once did a fish break off and I only lost a few. Needless to say that I have found part of my gear that I will use for the National Trout Championship!
A crazy curve and awesome backbone, the STREET FISHING range is top notch gear!
Happy trout season you all.
Jeremy Seguin, French bank lure fishing team Captain.
